Dallas Cowboys nab top defensive player in new mock draft
By Connor Green
Round 3, pick 99: Brady Christensen, OT- BYU
The Dallas Cowboys have had one of the top offensive lines in the NFL for much of the past decade. However, due to a combination of injuries and the surprise retirement of former All-Pro center Travis Frederick the unit cracked last season. The unit gave up 43 sacks and often struggled to open up holes in the running game.
This burgeoning need is only exacerbated by the fact that the teams’ starting former All-Pro left tackle, Tyron Smith has been afflicted by a myriad of injuries that have prevented him from playing in more than 13 games in a season since 2015. Dallas attempts to find Smiths’ successor while adding some much-needed depth with this pick by selecting offensive lineman Brady Christensen.
The BYU product is perhaps best known for providing quarterback Zach Wilson, one of the top prospects in this years’ draft class, with stellar protection as part of one of the top offensive lines in college football.
The six-foot-six, 300-pound lineman posted an unreal performance at his Pro Day. He ran an impressive 4.89 40-yard dash and had 30 bench reps while highlighting his athleticism and power. The 2020 Consensus All-American will likely continue to shoot up draft boards as teams who are primarily watching the man he protected potentially fall in love with his elite play at the position last season in the process.
The Dallas Cowboys attempt to find Smiths’ successor with this pick and get a player who, in a less talented offensive line class, might be a borderline first-round draft talent. Christensen would, at worst, add some much-needed depth to Dallas’s offensive line and could help the team ensure excellent protection for years to come.